The Louisville Mega Cavern
What do you do with an abandoned mine?
Some entrepreneurs in Louisville, Kentucky had an innovative idea—turn it into an underground theme park.
This photo shows part of the Louisville Mega Cavern —a subterranean network of 45 bike trails complete with jumps and all the cycling hoopla you could imagine. And that’s not all—the site also offers a zip line, a tram ride, a ropes course, a Christmas lights show… all of it underground.
The Louisville Mega Cavern used to be a limestone quarry operated by Louisville Crushed Stone. Originally opened in the 1930’s, this mine supplied a large amount of stone used for road construction in mid-century America. The 100-acre man-made cavern has become famous for its other uses though—it was designated as a bomb shelter in the 1960’s and then sold in 1989 with the intention of becoming a high-security office area (there are still some businesses in it, in fact). In 2009, investors came up with another idea that was a bit more tourist-friendly…. creating an underworld of fun. Thrill-seeking, rock-loving fun.
As a geologist, I have to wonder about the long-term stability of a man-made cave full of bike trails and roads. But would I pass up the opportunity to zip line through some exposed limestone? No, no I would not. Sounds like an awesome new way to do fieldwork.
-CM Plan your trip:http://bit.ly/UiFGvbPhoto Credit: Jacob Parker/ WFPL
